Chapter 2
It’s a cold man’s nightmare to be warm where she lays
And he’s to go through fire to be sure that’s where he stays
-Cathy Davy
Xander threw the cards on the table with a sigh and looked at the clock again. “So did Spike tell anyone that he was going to be late to the game tonight?” he asked the other two demons at the table.
“Naw, he didn’t talk to me,” Mike said, scratching one claw against his spiked face.
“Wait, is this da week he was takin’ da Slayer on vacation for their anniversary?” Sid asked. “’Cause ‘member, he told us that we had to call in Bob to take his spot that week.”
Xander shook his head. “No, their anniversary’s not for another two weeks. Are there any apocalypses scheduled this week that you know of?”
Sid shook his head.
“There was one like a week ago, but I think some monks in Prague took care of it,” Mike said.
Xander leaned forward, resting his arms on the table. “Monks…in Prague…took care of an apocalypse. What world are you living in? There hasn’t been any form of religion since the religious wars of 2139, so how did monks stop an apocalypse?”
Mike looked down at the table and became very interested in a mole on his hand.
“Sid, didn’t you talk to Spike last week when you called to cancel the game?” Xander asked.
“No, no one picked up da phone so I leave a message after the beep, but no one call me back.”
“Why don’t we call now?” Mike asked.
Xander shot him a look of exasperation. “And how would you like to do that Mike? There’s no phone here, remember? Hello! Demon library.”
“We could go visit him,” Sid suggested.
“And this is why Spike and I kick your asses in cards every week. I.Can’t.Leave.The.Library. Remember that part? It’s part of my contract. I live here twenty four/seven except on my two weeks allotted vacation every year.”
Sid laughed, “Oh yeah, I remember the pictures that Anya showed us from your vacation last year. They were funny.”
Xander sighed and leaned back in his chair with his eyes closed. He was muttering to himself under his breath. There was a slight poof of smoke and Anya appeared next to him.
“Xander, honey, this better be important because I was in the middle of eviscerating a man,” she said impatiently.
“Ahn, would you mind swinging by Spike and Buffy’s later tonight before you come home. Spike didn’t show up for the card game tonight, and no one’s heard from him in two weeks.”
Anya frowned, “You know, Buffy was supposed to meet me for lunch on Saturday but she didn’t show up. I was quite mad about it at the time, but luckily I was called away on some wish and I guess I forgot about it.”
Xander chewed his lower lip. “Something’s not right here. Buffy missing lunch? Spike missing cards? Spike never misses cards.”
Anya patted him on the head affectionately, “I’ll swing by after work, okay?” She kissed him on the cheek.
“Have fun doing vengeance, Miss Anya,” Sid said respectfully. Anya had granted the wish that had given Sid his speech issues. She also gave him webbed toes, but he was able to hide that part.
Anya nodded at him and disappeared from the room.
XXX
“Unca Ike! Unca Ike!”
“Oof!” Spike’s legs were knocked out from under him by the toddler that slammed into him at full ramming speed.
“Marry Krismas, Unca Ike!” Taylor yelled as he scooted up Spike’s body to wrap his arms around the vampire’s neck.
“Merry Christmas Taylor,” Spike replied. “My you’re getting awfully strong there.”
“Yep, almos as strong as you and Aunt Uffy. That’s what mommy says.”
“Oh she does, eh? Well, Mr. Strongman, why don’t you go help your Aunt Buffy with the goodies from the car while I put the prezzies under the tree.”
“’Kay!” Taylor stood up and raced out the door to where Buffy was trying to balance several grocery bags of food.
“Hi Spike,” Dawn said, wiping her hand on a dish towel as she came into the room. “Sorry about that, but he’s been so excited about you coming to visit. He’s hoping to do flying man in front of the mirror again.”
Spike grinned, “Oh, is he now?”
“Buffy, do you need help?” Dawn asked as her sister came through the door.
“No, Taylor and I got it all, don’t we Taylor? You are getting so strong,” Buffy said, smiling at the child carrying the salad bowl.
“Yes, just like you and Unca Ike. When I grow up, I’m gonna be a super hero just like you.”
Spike watched the glow that radiated from Buffy’s eye as she talked to Taylor. God he wished they could have children. He knew that Buffy wanted that too. It was hard for her watching Dawn give birth to Taylor and knowing that a child was something she could never have. There had to be something he could do about that.
XXX
Buffy dragged herself from the kitchen to the bedroom on her knees. The bedroom floor was littered with Spike’s t-shirts. She picked up the first one that she came across and held it to her nose, inhaling deeply. The scent was too faint. She dropped it and picked up a different shirt. The scent was faint on that one too. Panicked, she made her way through most of the clothes on the floor.
“No, no, no, no, no, no, no,” she cried frantically.
She stood up and yanked the closet doors open. Quickly, she shuffled through her own clothes, knocking them on the floor in her haste.
“Gotta be one in here, gotta, gotta, gotta.”
Buffy stood on her toes trying to reach the top shelf of the closet. She pulled down all the neatly folded sweaters, knocked over the storage bins so that they fell just past her head, opening and spilling their contents. There in the far corner was a single black shirt. She shrieked and stretched her hand toward it, but she couldn’t reach. Buffy stood on her tiptoes and still couldn’t reach. She jumped and missed. She grabbed the shelf and tried to pull herself up. The entire shelf came loose, hitting her in the head and knocking her out.
XXX
Buffy hopped up and down on her feet.
“Buffy, luv, calm down.” Spike smiled at his beaming wife as she grinned and danced about like a five year old.
“Calm? How can we be calm,” she asked, standing on her toes and pulling him toward her by the lapels of his duster. “Spike, we’re about to meet our daughter.” She giggled. “Spike…we have a daughter!”
“I know we do, pet,” Spike pressed a kiss against her forehead. “And you’re going to make a bloody marvelous mum.”
Buffy bit her lip and grew suddenly quiet.
“Wot’s wrong?” he asked, worriedly.
“Spike,” she whispered. “What-what if she changes her mind? What if she doesn’t sign the papers?”
“Not gonna happen, luv.”
“But-but it could. Things like that happen all the time.”
Spike brushed a lock of hair out of her face, then kissed her tearing eyes. “Then I’ll eat her,” he murmured.
“Mr. and Mrs. Summers?” The doctor waited until he had their attention. “Come with me please.”
Buffy locked her fingers with Spike’s and put on her resolve face before following the doctor into his office. They sat in the chairs the doctor provided, hands still clasped. The doctor sat across from them, behind his desk. He pushed a stack of papers at them.
“I’m pleased to say that after you sign these papers, you are the proud parents of a healthy baby girl.”
Buffy let out a squeal, jumped up and threw her arms around the doctor’s neck. He let out a surprised choke at the strength of her grip.
“Sorry, doc. She’s a bit excited. You know how women get,” Spike said as he pried Buffy off the man. She transferred her arms from the doctor’s neck to Spike’s.
“We have a daughter! We have a daughter! I’m a mom!” she half screamed, half cried. “I wanna see her. Can we see her?” she pleaded, turning back to face the doctor.
He laughed. “Of course, Mrs. Summers, but, please, the papers first?”
Spike chuckled as Buffy grabbed the stack and began signing her name left and right, passing each page to him when he was done.
“Sign faster, Spike,” she whispered low enough that only he could hear. “Don’t make me stake you for being slow. I’ll never forgive you if I have to be a single mom.”
The door opened and a nurse stepped in holding a baby wrapped in a pink blanket. She handed the child to Buffy.
“Oh, oh, Spike look,” Buffy whispered leaning so that Spike could see. “She has ten little fingers…and ten little toes…” she gasped when the baby opened her eyes. They were bright blue. “Hello, little one. I’m your mommy. And this man, that’s your daddy.”
Spike wrapped his arm around Buffy’s waist as she bounced the baby in her arms. “Hello, Madison Joyce,” he whispered.
|
